promotional products

There’s no denying how effective promotional products can be for businesses at trade shows – and it doesn’t matter what industry you’re in either. Why? Because the products are designed to get your name and branding in front of people, to help them remember you when they’re in need of your product or service.

Nowadays there is such a wide range of promotional products available to give out at trade shows, so you’ll be able to find something that suits your target audience and your budget.

Let’s start with the classics…

The most obvious choice of promo product for a trade show would be pens. Because, let’s face it, everybody needs a pen. It’s small enough that anybody can grab one; they don’t even need a bag for it – they can just pop it in their pocket, if needs be.

One thing to remember when giving away pens is that it shouldn’t feel too cheap – while we all need pens, nobody wants a cheap one. But don’t worry… this doesn’t mean you’re going to have pay through the nose for every promotional pen you give away. You can actually buy great quality pens at a really affordable price.

Another option that’s small enough to fit in a pocket would be USBs/FlashDrives. It might not be something that’s used everyday by the person you give it to, but it’s highly likely to be sat on their desk at work, just in case they need one. Which means when they’re racking their brains trying to think of who to help with their problem, they’ll spot the USB and get in touch.

Another classic option is mugs – but gone are the days of only being able to choose a bog-standard mug… you can now pick from a wide range of styles so you’ll be able to find something out there that suits your target audience and helps to make you stand out.

Then you have options that are more likely to be used out and about, increasing your brand awareness even further. This includes things like bags, lanyards, umbrellas, oyster card holders, sports bottles, and keyrings.

If you know you’re going to have a stall at a trade show during the wet, winter months, umbrellas are a great option. Think about it… how many times have you left the house and completely forgotten your umbrella, only to get caught in a downpour? Now imagine if you were given a free umbrella at a trade show..? You’d be more likely to remember that company, wouldn’t you?

So not only are you in their mind, when that person uses the umbrella, they’re going to cross the path of potentially hundreds of people in a day. And if the it stands out for all the right reasons, you’ll be in the minds of that see it – all for the cost of an umbrella!

The same goes for oyster card holders – it’s something practical that they’ll potentially use every day, so they’re reminded of your company on a daily basis, it fits in their pocket, and it will be seen by plenty of other people during their commute.

You can even look at watches as a possible option too. These are fantastic at really making sure your business stays at the forefront of your prospects mind. After all, how many companies do you know that give away a free watch at trade shows?

It’s a great way to make sure you stand out amongst all of the other stands there that day… and you’ll become a name that people see on a regular basis as they check the time. So to the end user, it’s an incredibly luxurious product to be given for free by a company that doesn’t really know them but for you, it’s an incredibly cost-effective way to increase your brand awareness on a wider scale – especially if you buy in bulk, as this really keeps the costs down.

And if you want to make sure everyone in the office is reminded of you on a regular basis, you can go for more practical items such as coasters, computer mice, mouse mats, folders, or even clocks!

There really is a great range of promotional products available nowadays, so if you’re struggling to decide which option works best for you, start thinking about what your target audience are most likely to use and what’s going to make you stand out.

Items such as USBs, umbrellas, and watches are great because they’re incredibly cost-effective items that are practical for the end user – plus they’re unlikely to be given out by other people at the trade show. Just because most people stick to pens, lanyards, and mugs doesn’t mean you have to!

Melisa Greenfield, October 2016

Melisa Greenfield is an experienced copywriter who’s been working in the promotional industry for 2 years, helping to promote the benefits of using promotional products to increase brand awareness.

Promotional Products To Perk Up the Summer Fun

Summer season is synonymous with vacations, fishing trips, bar-be-cues, beaches, swimming and general outdoor activities. It is the end of school term and the beginning of a fun-filled time; for being out in the sun and enjoying the radiance of the weather. Summer is the time of the year that everybody loves and cherishes to be together with family and friends. It is also a good time for the marketers to take advantage and make their place in the minds of their existing and prospective customers. There is a volley of promo product ideas by way of which promoters can satisfy and thank their customers during the hot season.

Apparel ideas – For those long sunny days at the beach or playing volleyball or football match, present your customers with baseball caps and sun visors with your company logo and message. Cool colored t-shirts would be ideal for golf fans.

Picnic ideas – You can gift your customer picnic coolers and blankets for a perfect day out in the summer sun. For those backyard barbecue parties, you can offer customized barbecue gear or accessories.

Outdoor ideas – Some fun ideas for enjoying outdoor sports could be flying discs, boomerangs, kites. For those beach parties, you can offer beach bags, towels or robes. Other good ideas would be suntan and sun-protection lotions, sunglasses and water bottles for a great sunny day.

Skin protection ideas – Lip balms and high SPF lotions are perfect ideas for protection against the sun. Moisturizing sprays throwing a refreshing mist work well to cool off the heat. Add your company logo to these products and your customers will be reminded of you during their repeated use o beat the harsh sun. Portable, mini hand fans are also a practical promo item for the season, especially it would combine well with the spray bottles.

Sunglasses are a useful promo product which your customer will appreciate during this weather; however, there is a compromise on the imprint space you get to advertise your logo or message. You can achieve your promotional objective by complimenting sunglasses with a cover, clip or holder with your logo imprint on it.

Golfing ideas – For your golfer amateurs and professionals, you can choose from a range of products; from t-shirts to golf balls to wooden tees, golf towels to golf organizers; you will successfully win over the hearts of golf lovers.

Gift bags – you can even choose to make gift bags. An example would be one for the beach; including a beach blanket, beach mat, sunglasses and sun protection. Ensure that the bag and all the inclusions come with your logo and carry your business message. Another idea is to offer a wellness and health gift bag which comprises of first aid items, facial tissues, anti-bacterial moist wipes and plasters; to carry for the outdoor activities.

Be proactive and think out of the box to come with some unique ideas to appeal to your customers and stand out from the competition. The summer season is full of opportunities which you can exploit to your best advantage. All you need is to be creative and spend time to think what your customers would appreciate most.

Author: Julius Rosen has been involved as a direct import specialist with the business gift, premium and advertising specialty industry for over 30 years.

Digital Printing Technology

How Digital Printing Technology is taking us closer to fully customizable clothing. The future of fashion, according to Epson, is all about customization. From the prints and colors we choose to wear, to indeed the size and shape that best suits us. Tie together digital printing, a bit of artificial intelligence and some robotics on the end, and it’s a vision that’s not too far off, which is precisely what the technology company is hoping to help make possible on all accounts. Its senior team, including global president Minoru Usui, was in New York last week to host its third annual “Digital Couture” event. This saw 13 design teams from across North and Latin America leveraging Epson’s dye-sublimation and direct-to-fabric printing technology to create small collections that were presented during an evening event held ahead of New York Fashion Week. The occasion also served to officially introduce the fact Epson acquired Italian textile printer manufacturer Robustelli in 2016. “This event is an opportunity to underscore Epson’s commitment to the industry, and to showcase the increasing impact of digital technologies on innovation in the world of fashion,” says Usui. “Working with [Robustelli], Epson has helped drive the shift to digital by some of the leading fashion houses who value the quality, throughput and high cost performance we bring to their unique creations.

While digital printing itself isn’t a new concept – Epson already works with numerous leading fashion brands it can’t name, as well as the likes of Under Armour and Adidas – it’s undergoing a period of rapid adoption today, Usui explains. He refers to the idea of being “one third of the way up the digital mountain.” In fact, the market for worldwide digital textile printing is expected to grow annually at almost 25% until 2019, according to WTiN Intelligence. Part of the reason for that increased uptake comes down to market forces. In the first instance, the fashion industry is going through an evolution (revolution even) in terms of how it gets product from the runway during fashion week to stores and ultimately customers’ wardrobes, quicker than ever. Focused on a strategy coined “see-now, buy-now”, this is about responding to the gap that lies between fashion shows that have become heavily consumer facing in the digital and social media era, and the point of delivery typically some 6 months later. In short, consumers want to be able to “see” the garments now and indeed “buy” them right away. Designers inevitably want to not only capitalize on that buzz and negate the current fatigue they’re seeing shoppers otherwise have, but also increase the barriers for fast fashion brands to play copycat. That motivation and momentum means a serious shift in the production timeline however. Unique prints on textiles are just one part of the pie, but a significant one. It currently takes anywhere from two to three months for traditional screen-printing. Digital printing by comparison can happen immediately.

Other benefits include the fact digital printing ensures higher quality, more unique designs at scale, greater variety of rich colors and more. It’s literally possible to take a picture on your iPhone today and print it onto a textile at photo-realistic quality straight away. The cost performance for small production runs also means looks can be created on a scale of one – rather than thousands. That means personalized designs for individual customers on-demand on the one hand, as well as an ability to print “just in time” – so when the demand is there, rather than stockpiling and ultimately creating waste – on the other. “The cost to produce one or thousands is the same, it doesn’t make a difference at all,” explains Timothy Check, product manager of Professional Imaging at Epson. The equipment itself can either be scaled to multiple machines for mass production, or just be done on one small, relatively affordable, one. His view is on the flexibility this affords designers and retailers to also change and adapt strategy based on which pieces perform well in the market, or update looks for new seasons at ease. “People want something different these days, they want something that stands out,” he says. “We’re working with a lot of manufacturers who say they’re not doing 20,000 of the same garment anymore, but just doing 500 of them. Then they’ll do another 500, but in a slightly different color perhaps. They’re doing more things of smaller quantities. Digital enables a producer to be able to do that efficiently. The traditional method by comparison is not possible to do cost effectively.

This is especially relevant to think about for the millennial generation, 48% of which expect brands to customize offers these days to suit their needs, according to American Express. That refers to everything from pricing to messaging, but product is becoming an ever-present part. “The pattern of [the fashion industry] is to produce at high volume and sell high volume, so we have to convince people to move away from that model into a customized one,” Usui explains, in relation to the biggest barrier for digital printing’s broader uptake. “That’s why an event like this is good for us – we can bring young designers together to think about this and show what’s possible – show how to shift this business into the digital era.” Earlier on the same day, Epson held a Fashion & Technology Forum featuring speakers from PVH, For.Tex, Elie Tahari and more, discussing the same subject. Designer Erin Fetherston, who already uses digital printing, noted customization, or certainly originality, as one of the industry’s most pressing needs: “The biggest challenge for a brand my size is seeing consumers wanting more and more uniqueness… That is the opposite to how you would have strategized your production a few years ago.” She added: “With see-now, buy-now, when that becomes the norm, then we have to work backwards in our process and figure out how we do things faster. That’s when technology becomes our greatest aid.

Of course being able to print customized, made-to-order textiles at high speed still leaves a further gap around the rest of the production process, which is where Epson believes further technological innovation can step in. Artificial intelligence will increasingly play a role in sizing solutions for instance, while robotics will be what helps with cut-and-sew. “Epson has a very considerable and growing robotics business and we would like to leverage that business in this industry in the future to help designers create very industrialized designs,” Usui adds.

Speaking at the forum, Barry McGeough, group vice president of PVH Innovation Next, noted how important this will be for a “local for local” (local manufacturing for local sales) strategy in the future. This is both about speed to market and more sustainable processes, he explained. “To do that, we are going to have to make sure we have robotics; a lot of automated processes that can move these things really quickly. It’s about lead time optimization.” He referenced Sewbo, a Seattle-based business that has created the first industrial robot able to sew together a t-shirt. While for designers like Fetherston, where a heavy level of handmade, delicate work is core to the collection, that might seem an unlikely solution, but the longterm possibilities are evidently there. For now, the digitization of textile printing is inevitably and already well on its way.

Rachel Arthur is a business journalist, innovation consultant and the founder and editor of Fashion & Mash, a daily news site covering the intersection of fashion and technology.

Promo is not for me!

The client is always right…right? Well sometimes….. always… We’re sure that on occasions, potential clients may say, ‘Promo? Nah, I don’t need promo’.

However, as an industry, we know differently. Here’s what we came up with…

I don’t need promo because…I like to blow our money on big spend marketing and even bigger hair.

This glitzy, shoulder padded, glamorous marketer thinks spending big is impressive. She likes to spend more than she needs to get her message across: she loves commercial radio (5.8 cents per impression), magazine ads (4.5 cents per impression), and TV (1.8 cents per impression). Why would she love tangible product marketing when it comes in at only 0.5 cent per impression? She’s impressed by the wine list at the long lunch, not by marketing effectiveness.

We don’t need promo because…We’re blood-suckers: you can only take a customer once, right?

These guys see people as walking wallets and use any means to separate the customer from their cash. Their motto is ‘there are plenty of fish in the sea’, so there is no need to show customers you appreciate them. That is why, with 64% of marketers rating promo as the channel most able to make a person feel appreciated, tangible product marketing is not for these guys. They prefer to stick with flat media like print and digital and avoid building any kind of customer connection at all.

I don’t need promo because…With all this charisma, all I need is a video on You Tube and people just chuck money at me!

It’s hard to argue with sheer animal magnetism to drive a cause. This all-knowing marketer has it all, so he can scoff at his peers who have to work hard to drive loyalty. He knows that tangible product marketing is the best channel for invoking loyalty to causes or events (59%) – he just doesn’t need the help. (and girls – he’s single!).

I don’t need promo because…If my customers respond to my marketing, I’ll have to work harder

We all know how much easier it would be without those pesky customers. This marketer has it all worked out. She can impress her boss with flashy, high-profile campaigns and by using buzzwords, charts and spreadsheets, all the while avoiding the channel that is most effective in getting customers to take action – yes, you guessed it – tangible product marketing! Rated by 51% of marketers as the best channel at being able to get a person to take action, it kills TV at 19%, digital 11%, online 10% and print 9%. But those channels do let her chill on a Friday…

We don’t need promo because…The business is a front for the MOB

Understandably, if like one Mr Soprano, you want to fly under the radar and don’t want customers recalling your name, then you don’t want promo. The problem with tangible product marketing is the way it fosters brand recall and awareness, with 61% of marketers rating it as the best channel for constant message reinforcement compared to 15% for TV, 10% for print, 8% for digital and 6% for direct mail. See, too many witnesses.

Power Banks

Power Banks – what you need to know when purchasing Power Banks.

There is a growing demand for power banks and there are many differences! Power Banks differ from one style to another predominantly with the main difference being the quality of the battery. The quality relates to the type of Lithium battery, true capacity, cell grade, regulated output voltage/current and protection circuitry. In fact 70% of the unit cost for a power bank can be devoted to the quality of the battery.

The capacity of a power bank gives an indication of how much you can charge. For example, a capacity of 2600mAh allows an iPhone 5 (battery approximately 1570mAH) to be fully charged, however a Samsung Galaxy S5 (battery approximately 3000 mAH) cannot be fully charged. A power bank at 2200 mAH will not fully charge an iPhone 5S partly due to voltage equation output.

It’s all about Output and Input – This part controls the flow of capacity into the device to be charged. For example, you can have a very high capacity 5200 mAH yet it takes forever to charge. Think of a bucket filled with water, the smaller the hole in this bucket (output) the longer it takes for the water to run out. The output of the power banks enables charging of only smart phones or tablets. In general, smart phones need an output between 0.5A and 1A, while tablets need a least 1A to 2A. The higher the ampage the faster your device charges.

Inside the power bank is a lithium battery. There is a big difference to quality depending on the battery. Cheap batteries might catch fire or even explode when over charged. The correct circuitry to prevent overheating and reverse charging must be present. Such goods should have MSDS (material safety and data sheets) when imported.

Batteries – batteries fall into 2 major groups both of which can be called ‘rechargeable’. A Lithium ion – tends to be rectangular or cylindrical and is usually cheaper. They are hard shelled with a strong casing. They weight a little bit more, are sturdier and are hard to puncture. They also have high energy densities and cost less as they suffer from ageing, even when not in use. The Lithium Polymer – tends to be thinner and come in a silver bag. They are soft shelled and can be damaged easier. They weight less and can fit into small shells particularly the custom designed PVC moulded power banks. Although these batteries are more expensive – they are a better battery.

Questions to ask when purchasing Power Banks

Is the supply of your power bank from a company that meets international compliance?

Do the Power Banks come with relevant compliance certificates be that CE, FCC, Reach, ROHS and UN38.3 for transport?

What battery is in the power banks and are they a brand like Samsung or generic?

Do the power banks come with control circuitry to regulate the voltage and current output to prevent your phone charging the power bank?

These are all important questions to check on when purchasing POWER BANKS. If one price is ridiculously cheaper than others, then the question one must ask is what is the quality of the battery. Don’t get short changed – always go with a quality product – because you may get burnt literally.

Unique Promotional Bagsfrom Bongo are the best advertising tool to deliver your product branding message. Our huge range of non woven, cotton and polyester bags can be printed wih full colour printing all over. The bags are available in a large of sizes and specifications to suit your needs. Promoting your brand and logo on any kind of bag bag is an excellent way to keep your brand or product visible with the public. Conventional types of advertising i.e. television & radio ads normally run for short periods of time. With branded promotional bags – your product become a billboard advisement that can be used and exposed constantly.

It’s easy to generate new business with a unique promotional bag. Not only can the giving of a quality and unique bag put a smile on the face of your clients, but will also help to retain your customers. It will also most certainly help you generate new business via the product’s branding exposure.

Increase your Sales & Brand recognition with good quality, well thought out promotional products. Surveys show that around 39 percent of people who were given a promotional product within the last year were able to recognize the name of the company.

Stickers are frequently distributed as part of promotional, advertising, and political campaigns; for example, in many voting districts in the U.S., stickers indicating an individual has voted are given to each voter as they leave the polling place, largely as a reminder to others to vote. Observers may clap hands, honk a horn or otherwise applaud a good sticker.

Identification of vehicle registration and last service details are two examples of stickers on the inside of most car windscreens. The term “window sticker” is generally used for vinyl labels which are stuck to the inside of a vehicle’s window, as opposed to water-resistant stickers that are stuck to the outside of a vehicle but can be affixed to anything.

On Australia Day we come together as a nation to celebrate what’s great about Australia and being Australian. It’s the day to reflect on what we have achieved and what we can be proud of in our great nation. It’s the day for us to re-commit to making Australia an even better place for the future. On this day, Australian adorn themselves with all sorts of Aussie promotional products to celebrate the day. Let us help you by putting some suggestions together for your next Australia Day corporate event or celebration. Bongo has a large range of Australiana products that are perfect not only to celebrate Australia Day, but to use throughout the year. Products include Aussie clothing, Aussie flag bags, Aussie flag keyrings, Aussie Flag Pins, Aussie flag shirts, Aussie caps & hats– as well as a huge range of Aussie supporter ideas.

Australia Day is the official National Day of Australia. Celebrated annually on 26 January, it marks the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British Ships at Port Jackson, New South Wales, and the raising of the Flag of Great Britain at that site by Governor Arthur Phillip. In present-day Australia, celebrations reflect the diverse, multicultural society and landscape of the nation, and are marked by community and family events, reflections on Australian history, official community awards, and citizenship ceremonies welcoming new immigrants into the Australian community.

The meaning and significance of Australia Day has evolved over time. Unofficially, or historically, the date has also been variously named “Anniversary Day”, “Invasion Day”, “Foundation Day”, and “ANA Day”. 26 January 1788 marked the proclamation of British sovereignty over the eastern seaboard of Australia (then known as New Holland).[4] Although it was not known as Australia Day until over a century later, records of celebrations on 26 January date back to 1808, with the first official celebration of the formation of New South Wales held in 1818. On New Year’s Day 1901, the British colonies of Australia formed a Federation, marking the birth of modern Australia. A national day of unity and celebration was looked for. It was not until 1935 that all Australian states and territories had adopted use of the term “Australia Day” to mark the date, and not until 1994 that the date was consistently marked by a public holiday on that day by all states and territories.

In contemporary Australia, the holiday is marked by the presentation of the Australian of the Year Awards on Australia Day Eve, announcement of the Australia Day Honours list and addresses from the Governor-General and Prime Minister. It is an official public holiday in every state and territory of Australia, unless it falls on a weekend in which case the following Monday becomes a public holiday instead. With community festivals, concerts and citizenship ceremonies, the day is celebrated in large and small communities and cities around the nation. Australia Day has become the biggest annual civic event in Australia.

Printed promotional drink bottles are very popular in the promotional market for several good reasons. Quite simply, they are genuinely useful and extremely popular. They look great printed or engraved and offer great logo visibility as the products are well used, often both in the office, in the car, sports events, and outdoor and sporting activities. Printed drink bottles are also very durable which obviously means that your logo will be seen for longer – they don’t run out of batteries or break down and are made of durable materials. They are an environmentally friendly alternative to disposable plastic water bottles – and of course, all of our drink bottles are BPA free. We offer a great variety of styles from light weight plastic sports bottles to high quality durable stainless steel to. Our drink bottles are also available in a variety of price points so you are sure to find one that suits your tastes and budget.

So where price, longevity of impact and high logo visibility are important to your promotional campaign it is hard to go past the promotional drink bottle. Next time your staff, customer or whomever the lucky recipient of your next promotional travel mug is, reaches for a drink bottle to take to the sports field, to gym, to their office or anywhere else they need to drink (everywhere) it’s your logo they and everyone else will see and your company they will all be thinking of. Promotional drink bottles are great way of taking your promotional dollar further.

Our new range of environmentally friendly biodegradable bags are the perfect replacement for paper or plastic bags. These biodegradable non woven fabric bags are made with eco friendly material and are printed with full colour printing all over. We have a large range of different sizes available with cut out handles or with short or long shoulder handles. Enviro bags are becoming increasingly popular and are econonomical. Perfect for retail stores, conferences and events, general advertising and promotion.

Whether it be shopping bags, sports bags, cooler bags or travel bags, rarely do we leave our homes or offices without a bag of one description or another… which means that they make an excellent promotional product. Usually with a large print area and often having multiple print areas they provide an excellent opportunity to make a big impact…. and because they are so useful they are guaranteed to drive your promotional dollar further and maximise the effectiveness of your next promotional campaign.

Nonwoven fabrics are broadly defined as sheet or web structures bonded together by entangling fiber or filaments (and by perforating films) mechanically, thermally or chemically. They are flat or tufted porous sheets that are made directly from separate fibers, molten plastic or plastic film. They are not made by weaving or knitting and do not require converting the fibers to yarn. Typically, a certain percentage of recycled fabrics and oil-based materials are used in nonwoven fabrics. The percentage of recycled fabrics vary based upon the strength of material needed for the specific use. In addition, some nonwoven fabrics can be recycled after use, given the proper treatment and facilities. For this reason, some consider nonwovens a more ecological fabric for certain applications, especially in fields and industries where disposable or single use products are important, such as hospitals, schools, nursing homes and luxury accommodations.

Nonwoven fabrics are engineered fabrics that may have a limited life, single-use fabric or a very durable fabric. Nonwoven fabrics provide specific functions such as absorbency, liquid repellence, resilience, stretch, softness, strength, flame retardancy, washability, cushioning, thermal insulation, acoustic insulation, filtration, use as a bacterial barrier and sterility. These properties are often combined to create fabrics suited for specific jobs, while achieving a good balance between product use-life and cost. They can mimic the appearance, texture and strength of a woven fabric and can be as bulky as the thickest paddings. In combination with other materials they provide a spectrum of products with diverse properties, and are used alone or as components of apparel, home furnishings, health care, engineering, industrial and consumer goods.

The Stencil range of clothing has been bringing innovative new designs and fabrics into the Australian corporate, promotional, uniform and sportswear market. Stencil is best known for their high-quality, high-concept fabrics such as a yarn-woven Cool-Dry®, liquid-repelling Nano-Gear®, the vibrant and super-comfortable Solar-Lite® and their most recent addition, Bio-Weave®, a silky blend of plant cellulose and Cool-Dry® yarn.

Stencil’s product range spans from distinctively styled polos and t-shirts for both men and women to business shirts, cold-weather clothing (including fleeces and jackets) and custom orders. Though Stencil is constantly working on creating and refining their new fabric technologies for each season, Stencil also appreciate the value of more traditional fabrics, from soft cottons to poly/cotton waffles. By understanding the intrinsic values of different materials, Stencil is able to match the ideal characteristics for a given item of clothing to the most appropriate fabric or blend.

Stencil carries a full stock service on all of their product lines with the promise of fast & professional service. Stencil trusts that their range will help you and your label stand out from the crowd.

Our customised car air fresheners are Air Fresheners that are made from absorbent cotton paper. Showcase your brand with these attractive advertising incentives. Air Fresheners are a great way to let your customers advertise your company details or product. The standard size is 80mm x 80mm and your design can be cut to shape within that area. We can also custom make to any size with full colour printing on both sides. The hanging accessory can be a white or black string or a plastic hook. Custom printed packaging is available with full colour printing.

minimum order is 500 units

45 fragrances to choose from

production timing on this product is around 3-4 weeks

Air fresheners are consumer products used in homes and cars emitting fragrances. Air freshening is not only limited to modern day sprays, air freshening also can involve the use of organic and everyday house hold items. Although air freshener is primarily used for odor elimination some people simply use air freshener for the pleasant odors they emit.

You Get What You Pay For

One of the most important issues to consider when buying promotional products – is safety. Companies can waste thousands of dollars in choosing the wrong promotional product that can result in product recalls and negative media coverage – which can diminish the brand itself. Thus the term ‘you get what you pay for’.

Promotional Products have consistently shown they are affordable, accountable and measurable advertising in rough economic times. Lately more inexperienced and unethical players have entered the promotional products industry – with a lot of promotional websites trying to convince unsuspecting consumersr that they have found the ‘direct’ connection to products, but in most instances that is the farthest thing from the truth – and the invisibility of the web isn’t the only problem.

30% of the promotional companies who claim to sellpromotional productsare Promotional Products Association industry members. These industry members generate more than 80 per cent of the $2.02 billion spend in Australia. In direct contrast, 90 per cent of the complaints received by Promotional Products Associations are against companies that are not members of these organizations. Many of these non members are repeat offenders, who market themselves extensively and focus on new, unsuspecting customers (as repeat business is unlikely). The major reason consumers take the change is, overwhelmingly, PRICE.

Promotional products are an advertising medium the power of which some marketers are only just beginning to grasp – promotional products are not a commodity. Latest research shows that the next generation of consumers are motivated and enticed by tangible forms of advertising. In the early days, there were basic gift-with-purchase successes like the Coca Cola Yo Yos. Now, promotional product campaigns are a part of every savvy marketers integrated solution.

Promotional Products today are used as complex triggers and data collection tools. Product selection is no longer based on ego driven decisions by marketers, but are strategically chosen by online focus groups. Since the 1970’s the promotional products industry has been growing and maturing. Being aware of what questions to ask when producing Promotional Items and the creativity to integrate concepts linked to products are only a couple of the reasons why promotional product professionals are the perfect outsourced extension of most marketing departments.

Safety and health requirements, ILS (International Labour Standards) and technical branding application knowledge can make all the difference between a promotional success and a promotional nightmare.

There are questions marketers should be asking to ensure their next promotional experience is sucessful. Some things in life are black and white.

The objectives and the audience that you want to reach with your promotion (e.g. rewarding consumers, increasing sales, acknowledging external business partners or internal staff, or to brand or increase attendance at an event)

The response you want from the recipients of these products

The information about your brand that you want to communicate

The information or statistics from the recipients that you would find useful, if you were able to obtain it

Historically, some of the other promotions done by your company, and

What you would like the recipients to think about your company after the promotion is finished?

Promotional Products, properly implemented, have a longer physical and mental retention value than many ‘above the line’ advertising methods – for less cost.

The true power of promotional products is not simply the product. It’s the creative use of the right product in advertising and response elicited by the delivery of that product in a properly constructed promotional campaign.

Promotional items, promotional gifts, advertising gifts, promotional merchandiseare the ideal thing to promote a company, brand, event or corporate image. Perfect for trade shows, conference and marketing campaigns. The first know promotional products used date back to the United States in the 1700’s. The first know promotional products were commemorative buttons dating back to the election of George Washington in 1789.

The United Kingdom, United States promotional merchandise industry formally emerged as corporate marketing became more sophisticated during the late 1950s. Before this companies may have provided occasional gifts, but there was no recognised promotional merchandise industry. The real explosion in the growth of the promotional merchandise industry took place in the 1970s. At this time an ever increasing number of corporate companies recognised the benefits gained from promoting their corporate identity, brand or product, with the use of gifts featuring their own logo. In the early years the range of products available were limited; however, in the early 1980s demand grew from distributors for a generic promotional products catalogue they could brand as their own and then leave with their corporate customers.

In later years these catalogues could be over-branded to reflect a distributor’s corporate image and distributors could then give them to their end user customers as their own. In the early years promotional merchandise catalogues were very much sales tools and customers would buy the products offered on the pages.

In the 1990s new catalogue services emerged for distributors from various sources. In the nineties there was also the creation of ‘Catalogue Groups’ who offered a unique catalogue to a limited geographical group of promotional merchandise distributor companies. Membership of a Catalogue Group could also offer improved buying terms, a network of fellow distributor companies, & provide other support services.

Up until the 1990s the industry had a peak season in which the majority of promotional products were sold. The season featured around Christmas & the giving of gifts. This changed significantly in the early 1990s as Christmas gifts became less appropriate in a multicultural world. Corporate companies were also becoming more inventive in their marketing and were now using promotional merchandise throughout the year to support the promotion of brands, products & events. In the early 21st century the role of a promotional merchandise catalogue started to change, as it could no longer fully represent the vast range of products in the market place. By 2007 catalogues were being mailed to targeted customer lists, rather than the blanket postal mailings that had taken place before. The catalogue had now become seen more as a ‘business card’ demonstrating the concept of what a company did, rather than a critical sales tool. In 2009 published results from research involving a representative group of distributor companies, which indicated the usage of hard copy catalogues was expected to fall up to 25% in 2010.

Distributor companies are experts in sourcing creative promotional products. Traditionally, to ensure that they had an effective manufacturer network, they kept themselves aware of the trade product ranges available by attending exhibitions across the world. In 2004 the way the trade sourced promotional products began to change with the launch an online trade sourcing service which united distributors with manufacturers worldwide.

By the early 2000’s almost every distributor had a website demonstrating a range of available promotional products. Very few offer the ability to order products online mainly due to the complexities surrounding the processes to brand the promotional products required.

Promotional merchandise is used globally to promote brands, products, and corporate identity. They are also used as giveaways at events, such as exhibitions and product launches. Promotional products can be used for non-profit organizations to promote their cause, as well as promote certain events that they hold, such as walks or any other event that raises money for a cause.

Most promotional items are relatively small and inexpensive, but can range to higher-end items; for example celebrities at film festivals and award shows are often given expensive promotional items such as expensive perfumes, leather goods, and electronics items. Companies that provide expensive gifts for celebrity attendees often ask that the celebrities allow a photo to be taken of them with the gift item, which can be used by the company for promotional purposes. Other companies provide luxury gifts such as handbags or scarves to celebrity attendees in the hopes that the celebrities will wear these items in public, thus garnering publicity for the company’s brand name and product.

Brand awareness is the most common use for promotional items. Other objectives that marketers use promotional items to facilitate include employee relations and events, tradeshow traffic-building, public relations, new customer generation, dealer and distributor programs, new product introductions, employee service awards, not-for-profit programs, internal incentive programs, safety education, customer referrals, and marketing research.

Promotional items are also used in politics to promote candidates and causes. Promotional items as a tool for non-commercial organizations, such as schools and charities are often used as a part of fund raising and awareness-raising campaigns. A prominent example was the livestrong wristband, used to promote cancer awareness,AIDS awareness and raise funds to support cancer survivorship programs and research.

Collecting certain types of promotional items is also a popular hobby. In particular, branded antique point of sale items that convey a sense of nostalgia are popular with collectors and are a substantial component to the antique industry.

Promotional merchandise is rarely bought directly by corporate companies from the actual manufacturers of the promotional products. A manufacturer’s expertise lies in the physical production of the products, but getting a product in front of potential customers is a completely different skill set and a complex process. Around the world the promotional merchandise industry is a comprehensive network of promotional merchandise distributor companies. The unique aspect of promotional merchandise is that on most occasions the product is printed with the logo, or brand, of a corporate organisation. Promotional merchandise distributor companies are expert in artwork and printing processes. In addition to this the promotional merchandise distributors also provide full support in processing orders, artwork, proofing, progress chasing & delivery of promotional products from multiple manufacturing sources.